Thank you for getting back to me. I am going to be calling my doctors again on Monday and ask why nobody has ever seen an index value. I want to know what my index value is.That is important isn't it? I haven't had a cold sore since I was about10 years old. I am now 32. I know I can get one at any time but I just wonder if that's why the HSV1 came back negative. Do you think that could be why it came back negative? I don't know if my doctors can get the index value of the results but I would assume they can if they look into it. From what I read on the CDC website under the Herpes Testing Information for Healthcare Providers there should be a numerical index level on my results and I don't have any. It also said:HSV IgG antibody tests. Serology testing for both HSV 1 and 2, or for HSV 2 only, is acceptable. Don't order a combined HSV 1/2 test (i.e. a test that does not look for HSV1 and HSV 2 separately), and IgM tests' usefulness is very controversial. None of the FDA-cleared IgM tests are type-specific, so HSV IgM testing can give false positive results and is often not appropriate for diagnosing herpes. Why? There is crossreactivitybetween HSV 1 and HSV 2 (you could tell someone with cold sores that they have genital herpes — in fact, new genital herpes!). In addition, there may be crossreaction with other viruses; and finally, people with well-established herpes can periodically generate IgM antibodies so you can't reliably sort out new from old infection with HSV IgM. Basing a diagnosis of genital herpes on IgM results alone can mean a wrong — and very distressing - diagnosis for your patients. Then what I read goes on to say this:

When you get the test results back, you'll see a numeric value called an index value, along with an interpretation of positive or negative. By package insert, any index value greater than 1.1 in considered positive. However, recent research has shown it not to be quite that simple. The sensitivity of the type specific IgG tests for HSV 2 in an STDclinic population is about 98% and for HSV 1, 91% (it misses about one out of 10). The specificity of the HSV 2 test is about 97%. Basically, that means there could be 3 false positives out of 100 positive tests. Studies indicate that most of the false positives occur with index values between 1.1 and 3.5 (low positives); it rarely happens with indexvalues over 3.5. For those with low positive results, it is recommended to confirm testing by a second kind of test, perhaps herpes Western blot from the University of Washington.

if you recall my lab was tested for that HSV IgG/IgM and the results had a HSV1/2 AB so do you think that could have an effect on why the HSV1 didn't show up and maybe it really isn't HSV2? I'm sorry to ask so many questions but you and others on here seem to know more than my doctors at this point and I hate to say that because I really like my doctor but this has really devastated me. Thank you in advance to you and anyone else that may have a answer.

I am new here so I hope I am posting this in the right area. I need help my doctors have no clue as to what I am asking them. I tried asking them what the number range is for my result the doctors office & the lab have no idea what i am talking about. But everyone one here seems to have a number range on their results. my test say this:Lab: HSVIGG/IGMName Value Reference RangeHSV 1/2 IGM AB Negative Negative NHSV1 IGG Serum Negative Negative N HSV2 IGG Serum Positive Negative NResults: HSV1 Negative, HSV2 Positive

Please Help I have never had anything down there but as a kid I did have cold sores.View Thread

Hi tlc30, I am in the same situation. A single mom of two amazing boys but their dad's are in their life so I am sorry to hear that your kids dad's are not. I have been facing the same problem you are facing. I just found out this past March that i have hsv-2. I cried i was so ashamed. I believe it was my first son's father who had cheated on me a few times, I couldn't prove he cheated then but I knew it deep inside. then while I was pregnant he cheated and left me for over a month when he came back he had something down there & he said it was heat rash. I didn't believe him so I asked my doctors to do a full STD test. they did a swab & it was negative and took blood work. It came back that I had HPV. He was the only man I ever slept with unprotected he was my high school sweetheart we were together for 6.5 years. So i find out I now have the HPV that cause cervical caner. I never tested positive for herpes. I have never had an outbreak, and still to this day have never had any outbreaks. So i really thought I was fine, my son came out fine with no herpes.I truly thought I was safe. So when I found this out & I told my current BF& sister because I was totally & still am devastated over this. My BF was shocked, mad, angry & then ok with it. I was surprised at how well he handled it. We were actually living separately when I told him because he had a drug problem & I asked him to move out to get help because I couldn't have that around my kids. Anyways we finally broke up this past June. I am so sad because I found a very sweet single father who has his son full time. I wasn't looking for a relationship but it just happened to work out that way. I know I like this guy, he has told me he really likes me & thinks we are great for each other. I don't know how to tell him this. I am afraid to do it but of course I am going to have to tell him & just expects the worst. I haven't told him yet because I have only been seeing him for about a month but he is different, sweet & talks like I'm the one. He say's when you know you know. I felt like I knew him for years though we had just met. I'm sorry your long time friend that you had real feelings for didn't except you for you. I don't know how to tell this amazing man that I have met that I have this STD. he has told me a few times when I sorta hinted around that I'm sure I will scare him off because of certain things & he say's he doesn't judge & he's not scared of anything. I wasn't going to sign up for this web discussion but your story helped me take the first step knowing I am not the only one going through this. I know someone will except you and I, but it will have to be a really understanding, nonjudgmental person. Feel free to write back anytime. I hope my story helps you too.View Thread